Apparatus for uniting pipe lengths.



J. FRASER.

APPARATUS FOR UNITING PIPE LENGTHS.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 13, 1909.

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. A, W Ma W- J. FRASER. APPARATUS FOR UNITING PIPE LENGTHS.

APPLIOATIQK FILED FEB. 13, 1909.

Patented Aug". 8, 1911 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllllll 1 WI TNE/SZES- JOHN FRASER, OF HACKENSAGK NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR' UNITING PIPE LENGTI-IS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1913.

Application filed February 13, 1909. Serial No. 477,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that 1, JOHN Fnnsna, a citizen of the United States of America, resid ing in Hackensack, in the county of Bergen. in the State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Apparatus for Uniting Pipe Lengths, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the joining together of pipe lengths and is especially useful in uniting pipe sections in .sz'r'u in the la ving of pipe lines, particularly when the pipe sections are made of Short metal.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus by which the pipe sections may be united by welding and a pipe line laid more easily. less expensively and more speedily than by known methods and that the finished pipe line shall have a smooth and uniform internal diameter at the welded joints, free from rivets or crevices and of a strength at the welded joints equal to that of the sections of pipe between those joints. This ob-- ject l attain by the apparatus which I will now describe, and which includes an adjustable and expansiblc nianthel in the form of a ring to be applied to the interior oi the adaccntends oi the ine sections to alinc them for welding, a means for supporting and rotating the pipe sections and a welding apparatus.

In carrying out my inycntion, I prefer to use the oxy-acctylene welding method, which as is well known, consists in a iplying to the adjacentmetal parts to be welded an intenscly hot (Ky-acetylene gas flame and siniultancouslymelting oil from a stick of a like metal su'liicicnt to till the joint or space, and this withoua use of any ilux or any hauunen ing or other pressure. I do not, however, liniit myself to the use of this type of welding apparatus in all cases.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a cross-section of a trench and pipe being laid therein by means of my apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a part; of the trench, the pipe lengths and supporting cradles being seen in elevationyl ig. 3 is a diagram, drawn to a smaller scale and showing'part of a finished pipe line; Figs. 4' and 5 are side and edge views, respectively, of the mandrel ring; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of my preferred form of supporting and turning cradle; l"'.g-. 7 is a plan View of the same.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2-, A, A, are the sections or" sheet metal pl e to be united, their adjacent ends being preferablyfina chined or otherwise beveled to presenta circumferential valley or groo'e w on the outside when they are brought close together. In these figures I have shown the pipe sections as being laid in a trench T, as might be done in laying a water pipe line. To support the pipe sections I provide saddles or cradles 0, having means whereby the pipes may be rotated on their axis. These saddles or cradles are arranged at or near the joints. At the left of Fig. 2, I have shown one sup porting and rotating cradle at the joint, the cradle being made of a width sutiicient to support the two adjacent; ends of the pipes which are to be welded together. At the rightof Fig. 2, I have. shown two such cradles C, one for each pipe end.

In the presentinstance, I have shown the cradles C as constructed to be placed in the bottom of the trench, which is suitably dug out at the proper points to receive the cradles with their supporting parts at the desired height. as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, he pan ticular embodiment of my cradle invention here illustrated comprises a. suitable frame J having at its upper part bearii'igs for wide sprocket wheels K, K K over which passes a slack chain L. To one of these wheels rotary motion may be imparted by suitable means, such as a lever O with reversible pawl R, acting on ratchet wheel P on the shaft which carries a pinion N, gearing into toothed wheel M on the shaft which carries wheel K The pipes will be supported on the wheels K, K and chain L, 'so that by reciprocating the lever O, the pipe sections may be rotated, as for example in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1.

To effectually and perfectly aline the two adjacent pipe ends, l provide an adjustable and cxpansible mandrel, consisting of an expanding and collapsible ring E, shown in Figs. 1, 4 and At asuitable point; in this ring, I provide a circumferentially adjustable joint F, which may consist of bolts, nuts and slots, as is common for adjust: ments. Then I connect together the ends of the band, of which the ring is composed, by means of a knee joint or toggle, comprising toggle leversG and G, with a handle H on one of the toggle levers, so that the ring may be'collapsed for insertion into place, and then expanded into place at the joint, the ring being of a width (Fig. 5) sufficient 4 Ni i.

and. rotating cradle or to use for ditt'erent l to lap over onto both pipe enc, The adjustable joint at l? permits of a limited adjustment for slight variations in pipe diame ters, but as a rule different sizes of rings will be provided for dili'erent diameters of pipes.

I have indicated the oxyacetylene welding apparatus at B in Fig. 1. In usingthis apparatus it is necessary that the parts to be united shall be below the flame, so that the melted metal may fall or flow into place, and therefore the upper half of the pipe joint is welded first, and. then'the pipes are rotated upon their sup orts, by the operation of the levers O, as to bring the an welded parts uppermost, whereupon the welding can proceed. Because of this necessity for rotating the pipe sections, there a limit to the number of sections which'can be thus welded together. Consequently it willv be necessary to unite certain sections in the length of the pipe line, by means of flanges, butt straps or closing-in pieces, as indicated for example at a, a, (I? in the pipe line diagram, Fig. 3, but this is not necessarily a drawoack, because such flanged or ,other joints may be required for other reasons,-because of bends in the line, change oi grade, insertion of valves, etc. To prevent any possibility of the ring E becoming welded to the pipe, I prefer to provide he ring with a facing of asbestos, as seen in Fig. 4, but not shown in Fig. l or Fig 53.

The described construction of supporting saddle adapts itselt diameters of pipes. After the welding (tone, these cradles or saddles may be easily removed from below the pipes by a little excavating. Lesser cavating will be required for this apparatus common method 01 mm by riveting or than is required in the uniting pipe sections in. the use of packed joints.

I claim as my invention 1. An apparatus for uniting pipe sections l l l l l i l with slack chains on which the pipe sectionsmay rest and means to operate the chains to rotate the pipe sections. as and for the purpose described.

An apparatus for uniting; pipe sections of a pipe line. in aifu, comprising an internal cxpansiblc alining mandrel at the adjacent ends of the sections. in combination with an external cradle means with a frame adapted to be rcmovably placed in the bottom of the trench and slack chains rarried by the frame .on which the pipe sections may rest and means to operate the chains to rotate the pipe sections, as and for the purpose described.

4. An apparatus for uniting pipe sections of a pipe line in .SZZLIL, comprising an internal expansible alining mandrel at the adjacent ends of the sections, in combination with an external frame with sprocket wheels, and slack chains passing over the wheels to support the pipe sections externally and means to rotate the sprocket wheels and chains toturn the pipe sections, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

, JOHN F RASER. \V it nesscs;

\Vanrnn Anna,

-i inrmnr Anna. 

